Reviews

Tracklisting:
2+2=5
Sit Down
Sail to the Moon
Backdrifts
Go To Sleep
Where I End and You Begin
We Suck Young Blood
The Gloaming
There There
I Will
A Punchup at a Wedding
Myxomatosis
Scatterbrain
A Wolf at the Door

I admit, I am a little biased. I honestly cannot see how so many people think Radiohead is over-rated or bland or whatnot. Because, historically, their albums have inspired me to no end!
The choice of chords, the subtle yet beautiful melodies, and just plain brilliant song structure
and composition. There are very few songs by the band I skip from ANY album...aside from 2
on Amnesiac.

So...how does Hail to the Thief, their latest effort, stack up? Well, like Yertle the Turtle, it stacks very well. Here we have a collection of 14 songs which create such a mood and atmosphere that I can only wonder at it! The lyrics portray a sense of vulnerability that could only be portrayed by a new father. Yet there is a sense of optimism that the future will be better for his children...in other words: the government wins this battle, but we will win the war (so to speak.)

Musically, this is a refreshing album! We see the experimentation of Kid A and Amnesiac, but combined with the sounds and structures we have forever linked to Radiohead. Nothing they have ever done has made my blood rush more than Sit Down. Stand Up.

Around the middle area of the song the creepy atmosphere it has aquired begins to ascend and crescendo until, like falling from the sky, an other-wordly groove enters that makes me want to
move like I've never moved before! Then, half way through this the drums kick in full force and the result is nothing less than mind blowing.

I could go into this kind of detail on every song...they all deserve the praise. Aside from, that is, Go To Sleep, which is a song I skip. Not that it's a bad song, as such...but it isn't a Radiohead song!

Yet another A+ effort from this remarkable band

Reviewer Rating of CD :

First and foremost, this album is everything Radiohead should be putting out. It combines all the strengths of the ambient sounds in Kid A and Amnesiac, the groups last two releases, with the more radio friendly writing style and sound of classic albums The Bends and OK Computer.

The songs on Hail to the Thief are layered in such a way that the drum beats and bass lines drive many of the songs. 'There, There', the first single from the album, starts off with a pulsing drum and bass combo that sets the tone for the rest of the song.

Any fan of Radiohead's earlier catalog of music will be pleased that Yorke and company have brushed off the guitars for what is one of the best albums of the year thus far. Fans of Kid A and Amnesiac will also be pleased with the evolution of the bands sound.

Reviewer Rating of CD :

With a bit of a "Kid A" influence and the intensity of "OK Computer," Radiohead's new album "Hail to the thief " has proven itself worthy of an excellent album. Obviously, it has a modern sound and a mix of many types of musical expressions. The first song brings the album to life, having a George Orwell influence, hence 2+2=5. As the album progresses, we see the fierce realism in Yorke's words and rhythm as he sings in an allegorical tone. The recent single, "There, There", has all components of an excellent song. The reason being is the fact that Yorke made all band members learn new instruments to get the full effect. I saw the 2$ bill on MTV of their performance, and obviously, the 3-set drum configuration on stage proved to be quite interesting during "There, There." Ironically, Yorke proclaimed this new album to be their "shiny, new pop album." As Blender magazine said, "it sure ain't 'Justified'." That's true. It's actually a fantastic album with meaning. You have to listen between the lines of Yorke's angry and sullen words to find hope in the future. This album has full potential to be one of the most influential albums in the history of music, but the world has lowered it's level of thought and submitted to the evil factions of Britney Spears and Kelly Osbourne. Radiohead may never receive their much deserved recognition, but overall, this album has established them as Rock's collective group of misery, but a realistic band nonetheless. This album is a must-buy! ENJOY.......

Reviewer Rating of CD :

A few words for those of you who've drifted away from Radiohead since they decided to expand on their original musical vision:

This is their most immediate album since The Bends.

It's also excellent.

Reviewer Rating of CD :

i don't own this album, but i've heard it. it's quite interesting. in many ways, i think the band is retreating from the sound they did ont he last few albums. which for me makes the album a bit weaker. BUT they do have some of that experimentation (for them) with much better song writing than before. although the songs do tend to run together. a so so album in many ways: it's the first radiohead album that seems unneccesary somehow. it's not bad, and the music is quite good, but i don't see why it was neccesary to make. my friend adam says this album is "form before substance" and i kind of agree. band stagnating, going through the motions. admittedly, these motions are nice but it's sad to see one of the great bands in music grinding to a halt creatively.

Reviewer Rating of CD :

Hail To The Thief has been compared to The Bends, and has been widely referred as a throwback to Radioheadís old style before they got crazy with the experimentation, but I really donít see the comparison to The Bends and Hail to the Thief, If anything, this record is just another turn into another direction for the band, just one not as sparse and artsy as the last 2 albums that they released. Hail To The Thief is a moody, low-key album with an occasional rock moment. It reminds me more of Ok Computer than The Bends, but it is definitely not indefinitely comparable to any of their other works. Radiohead is a band full of surprises, and they are not to be taken lightly. Hail to the Thief is a really great album, which is what we have come to expect from Radiohead.